Necessities

This PSE UK analysis working paper asks whether minimum standards have become less generous than in the past and if so why. It examines which items and activities in the 2012 PSE attitudes to necessities survey are considered by a majority of people to be necessary for an acceptable standard of living in the UK today

This statistical briefing note compares differences between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in items reported as ‘necessary’ using the harmonised UK Omnibus dataset. Heat maps and relative risk ratio calculations were carried out separately for all adult and child items and activities. No major differences are apparent between respondents.

The statistical briefing examines the implications of a programming error that resulted in higher than expected amounts of missing data in the ‘sort card’ sample of the June 2012 Northern Ireland Omnibus Necessities Module. It concludes that the missing data can be considered to be MAR (Missing At Random) and they are ignorable for analyses of the proportion of respondents considering an item or activity to be a necessity as long as both the missing data and the don’t knows are excluded from the numerator and denominator i.e. if the don’t knows are set to ‘missing’.

The cost of a minimum acceptable standard of living has risen by a quarter since the start of the economic downturn, according to a new analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The report provides the 2013 update of the minimum income standard (MIS) for the United Kingdom, based on what members of the public think people need for an acceptable minimum standard of living. The MIS was first calculated in 2008.

The idea that if poverty is relative it will always be with us is a common misconception, argues John Veit-Wilson. 'Relative poverty' can be abolished if no one has fewer resources than needed to achieve that society’s minimum standards.

Key markets for utilities and financial services are failing those on the lowest incomes, says a new report. It calculates that higher prices for utilities and credit – the 'poverty premium' – can raise the cost of a minimum household budget by around 10 per cent.

Over half of parents in lower-income groups cannot afford to organise birthday parties for their children, according to the findings of a new survey. An opinion poll was combined with focus group research to give a picture of the financial stress surrounding children's parties for those in poverty.

Inflation is hitting the poorest families up to a third harder than the richest ones, due to the soaring cost of essentials such as gas and food, says the charity Barnardo's in a new report. Its conclusions are based on interviews with low-income families and new analysis of economic data.

Older pensioners do not have fewer needs compared with younger pensioners, a Joseph Rowntree Foundation study has found – contrary to suggestions that because they lead more restricted lives they also have reduced financial needs.

Legislation is being proposed that would force claimants to use benefit money for 'responsible' spending only. The Conservative MP behind the Welfare Cash Card Bill, Alec Shelbrooke, is acting in a personal capacity – although he also serves as a junior government minister.

Under the Bill, a 'welfare cash card' would be introduced to replace cash payments for most benefits. The card would allow claimants to make only priority purchases such as food, clothing, energy, travel and housing. The purchase of so-called 'luxury' goods such as cigarettes, alcohol, gambling and satellite television subscriptions would be prohibited.

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PSE:UK is a major collaboration between the University of Bristol, Heriot-Watt University, The Open University, Queen's University Belfast, University of Glasgow and the University of York working with the National Centre for Social Research and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. ESRC Grant RES-060-25-0052.